Your Deadliest Dream
by LunarFrostChill
Summary: A tragic death, a lost loved one. Then you find someone else... Here's a question people never ask: what could drive a Starclan cat to murder? A/N: AHHHHH! The cover is my profile picture...
1. The Tragedy of Thunder

Chapter One

The dim leaf-bare sun shone weakly through the clumped gray clouds. The forest was silent, as if all the prey and small creatures that lived there were holding their breath, waiting for the claws of cold to weaken its hold on the land. A chill gripped the clan's territories and the earth was covered in a sparkling blanket of white snow. Where the snow wasn't covering, the ground was frosted and the grass was spiked with ice.

The Thunderclan camp was as silent as the forest that surrounded them, only one sound broke the silence, whenever it did, it was like a crack of thunder. The sharp coughs were echoing from inside the medicine cat's cave, the camp was silent in respect for the figure lying in the den.

A she-cat with once-pretty tortoiseshell fur was sprawled across a mossy nest that was now scattered and torn by her fur was dusty and clumped around her neck. Across her throat was a half-healed wound that was oozing greenish she-cat's rasping breath came painfully, her eyes were glazed and terrified as she fought the losing battle for her life.

Sitting tense and sad-eyed beside her, a grey tabby with thick fur and broad shoulders hunched miserably next to a skinny white tom, their breath bellowed in clouds as they breathed and their fur was covered in drops of moisture. The gray tom flinched as a cough racked the she-cat's thin body, he dug his sharp claws into the soil, as if wishing that he could fight this battle for her.

The white tom turned to face the gray tabby beside him, mewing gravely, "The infection has reached her bloodstream, Jayheart, there is nothing any herb can do for her, it is in the paws of Starclan now." He placed his tail reassuringly on Jayheart's shoulder, then, glancing uncertainly at the she-cat in pain, he added, "If it is your wish, I will fetch Freemeadow some poppy seeds to ease her journey." His eyes flicked back and forth between the sick cat and her mate.

Jayheart shook his wide head,his gaze clouded with sadness, "No, Cloudspirit, Freemeadow is strong," Jayheart felt his throat tightened and heard his voice crack, "She always was strong, if she had any breath left in her body, she would not give up." He lowered his head. "I cannot decide that she should give up!" His voice raised as he spoke and he gritted his teeth in frustration.

Cloudspirit bowed his head in response to Jayheart's request and continued to watch Freemeadow heave for breath.

They sat there without another word. Soon the sun was high in the sky, the birds were singing in the treetops, and the camp was bustling with activity. But still they stayed. Suddenly Freemeadow's eyes flickered with light. She made a few short rasping noises as her mouth hung open, then spoke in a gravely voice, "Jay-Jayheart?.." She rasped heavily, her eyes staring blankly ahead.

"I'm here." Jayheart mewed softly.

Freemeadow turned her head to look at Jayheart. "I want-" The she-cat was interrupted by a coughing fit, she simply waited for it to pass, to weak to fight it anymore. After she had calmed she continued, "Promise me tha-that you'll always...That you'll never forget me.." She seemed to be having trouble speaking.

Jayheart flinched, "No," He whispered to Freemeadow, "I don't need to promise such a thing...You will survive this."

Freemeadow's eyes adopted a look that was very familiar, and to see her use it again, in this state, broke his heart. The look was one that said, _Really, you know as well as I do that you're lying. _

Sighing in defeat, Jayheart mewed, "I promise."

Freemeadow fixed Jayheart with a gaze full of love and grief, before sighing contently and laying her head down. Her breathing grew faster until it stopped completely. She lay motionless as Jayheart threw his head back and screeched in grief.

* * *

><p>(<em>Time Skip of Two Seasons<em>)

Jayheart paced anxiously outside the nursery, his thick-furred tail bristling and lashing in impatience. The warm green-leaf sun was beaming uncomfortably onto his long pelt, which only raised his frustration. Th sound of heavy panting and grunting was coming from inside the bramble bush that served as the nursery, and a low growl rose in Jayheart's throat as the panting continued.

Just as Jayheart was about to insist he came in, white head poked through, it was Cloudspirit, the medicine cat. He blinked his eyes several times as the bright light burned his eyes, then mewed to Jayheart in a voice that was cracked with age, "You can come in now."

Jayheart shouldered through the entrance, the thorns tugging at the fur on his spine. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light in the nursery, he saw a beautiful black she-cat with white paws and a white muzzle purring happily as three little kits suckled at her belly, their eyes still squeezed shut and their ears folded against their heads. His eyes softened as he studied the kits, two were gray tabby toms like him, the other a black she-cat like their mother.

Jayheart padded over to curl around the she-cat. licking her affectionately on the ear, he murmured, "They're perfect, Nightshade."

* * *

><p>Freemeadow hunched in misery in her place among the stars, mourning while her former clanmates were celebrating. Her veins were pulsing with anger; Anger that Jayheart had broken his promise, anger that he had gotten over her, and most of all, anger that he had a new mate.<p>

Freemeadow allowed the burning rage to flare. Watching the kits that should have belonged to her fueled her hatred. Her amber eyes glared at the three tiny bundles of life, beautiful to everybody but her, all she saw was a shattered promise being allowed to infect her clan, to infect the forest. As she laid eyes on their mother, the cat who had stolen everything from her, her bitterness spiked. She struck a paw out at the puddle of water she had being watching through, causing it to ripple and scramble the image of her clan. Without another second to dwell on it, she turned and sprinted blindly through the lush forest of Starclan.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** **End of chapter! Yeah.. I know it's a short chapter, but it's a short story...So..Yeah...Please review. Reviewers get cyber kitty. :3 Next chapter will be kinda slow... Sorry.  
><strong>


	2. Blood-Stained Snow

Chapter two

That night, a lean shape slunk through Sunningrocks. The smooth boulders gleamed in the moonlight. Its ears were flat against its head and its fur was fluffed out. As it stalked up he stones, it smoothed its fur out, though you could see it took effort. The cat perched atop one of the largest rocks, its twitching tail betraying impatience.

Soft pawsteps were heard, and a narrow face appeared among the undergrowth, the black on its forehead were like shadows in the darkness. She looked in awe at the cat sitting in font of her, mewing respectfully, "Who are you?"

The cat laughed, its shoulders heaving as the high and insane sound cracked through the still night air, "Oh Nightshade," It mewed in a condisending tone, baring its teeth menacingly, its whiskers drawing back. "I am your _ancestor_, Though I am not surprised that you haven't heard of me. It seem as though Jayheart has already forgotten me. If you must know, I'm Freemeadow." She bowed her head in mock greeting.

"What do you want?" Nightshade backed away, her paws scrabbling on the leaf litter.

Freemeadow laughed again, but this time they focused on her for the first time, which scared Nightshade even more, her eyes were dark, and seemed to promise something. But what?

The answer was given to her.

"You are a broken promise, Nightshade, your kits are _nothing_ but broken promises." Freemeadow snarled.

Nightshade's blood went cold with dread, this cat was beyond reasoning, she was _insane_. She turned around quickly, skidding on the dusty ground as she darted blindly into the forest. Branches whipped painfully across the face, but all she could think about was getting away. _Wake up! Wake up!_ She screamed at herself, gritting her teeth.

Freemeadow let the cat escape, like prey being allowed out of a hunter's claws. She watched with contempt as the she-cat fled through the bushes. As her tail disapeared, Freemeadow turned to leave, sneering over her shoulder, "One day, one day you won't be able to run."

**Time-skip of a few hours.**

Nightshade jumped awake at the sound of pawsteps.. At least, she thought that is what woke her. As she glanced wildly around the nursery, her claws unsheathed and fur bristling, one of her kits stirred. The kit stared up at his mother with wide, blue eyes. she shook her head tiredly, her jaws opening in a yawn. Looking at her littermate, she squeaked, "Mother?"

"Yes?" Nightshade slowed her breathing to reply to Bouncekit.

Bouncekit leaped to her paws, "Meadowkit's missing. She's lost!" She wailed in despair.

Shushing her quickly, Nightshade stared at her kit in alarm, _She's right._ She thought. _What kind of mother am I? I didn't notice!_ Inwardly she wanted panic, but she needed to stay calm for Bouncekit. Getting up slowly, as to not disturb Graykit, Nightshade stood up. "I'll be right back." She reasurred Bouncekit.

The little black kit curled into a tight, fluffy ball. Her nose tucked under her tail.

Nightshade quietly slunk outside the nursery. The camp was silent, covered in a fresh layer of snow. _There is no sign of any invasion or foxes. Meadowkit must have wandered off on her own._ The black she-cat thanked Starclan for the sparkling, white powder as she spotted a trail of tiny pawprints, though, the snow had washed away any kit-scent and replaced it with crisp, clean air. The snow crunched softly beneath her paws and her breath billowed in clouds.

As she followed the trail through the undergrowth, the snow was still falling lightly. Soon Nightshade's pelt was dusted with white. Her pelt prickled with worry as the pawprints led deeper into the forest. Her breathing quickened and fear lent speed to her paws.

Trotting now, Nightshade stumbled and grunted in pain as a trailing bramble tendril caught on her paw. Halting, she pricked her ears as a shrill squeal of pain rang through the quiet night. Even more deafening was the silence that followed.

Nightshade darted forward. The sticky smell of blood hit her nostrils like a blow. A cold stone of dread dropped into her belly as she emerged into a grassy clearing. A familiar see-through cat was leaning over a small body. The snow was stained red around it. A screech tore at Nightshade's throat.

"Freemeadow?!"

The Starclan she-cat jerked her head up, her legs stiffening, before running into the undergrowth.

Nightshade turned her attention from Freemeadow; Instead looking at the broken body. Grief crashed down onto her as she recognized the kit. It was Meadowkit.

Nightshade lowered her head silently, refusing to lift her voice to Starclan, they had betrayed her, ripped a life out of her paws. Starclan didn't deserve Meadowkit.

Then it dawned on her.

Freemeadow had ran towards the _camp._

_No_. Nightshade couldn't think of what would happen if Freemeadow got to her kits before she did. She didn't want to think about it. There was only one logical answer.

She had to get there first.

Nightshade sprinted towards the camp, through the forest. Suddenly she reached an area where the trees grew so thickly together that they barred her way. She spotted a bramble bush where she could get past, and started padding towards it.

But she didn't make it before a heavy weight landed on her back and a clawed paw reached down to slice her throat.


	3. Behind the hate

**A/N: Yay! Finally updated! **

**Warning: This chapter has a lot of backstory time-skips. When Freemeadow is remembering, the line means that she is either think of a different time, or that the story is back to the present time.**

**Just clearing up the air. :D Please review if you liked it, No flames please!**

Chapter 3

Freemeadow padded confidently into the Thunderclan camp. The camp that had once been her home. As she looked around the clearing that homed the clan she had lived in, memories stirred, memories of when she had been happy. Freemeadow paused and closed her amber eyes, letting the old times flow back.

_"I thought you had left me!." Freemeadow sobbed, her head pressed against Jayheart's cheek. "I mean, after the fight we had..." She trailed off, pulling away from the comforting fur to glance up into Jayheart's eyes. She didn't know why she had come to meet him again, but looking into his eyes, she felt a warm sensation spreading through her fur. _

_Jayheart touched her ear with his muzzle, whispering gently, "I will _never_ leave you. I am sorry," He added. "After we argued, I thought you didn't want to see me anymore.." His gaze was full of love as he curled his tail around her._

_"I won't ever stop seeing you. I love you."_

* * *

><p>Freemeadow hissed angrily as she continued to go back in time, as she remembered her happy life.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Are you sure?" Freemeadow gasped, her ears flicking up in happy shock. "You'll have to work hard to gain their trust." Quietly she added, "You are from a different clan, after all.<em>

_Jayheart purred excitedly. "I've never being more sure in my life! If I joined Thunderclan, I'd be able to see you whenever I wanted. I could be your mate." The gray tabby trotted towards the Thunderclan camp, his tail high. Freemeadow followed slowly._

* * *

><p><em>Freemeadow snarled viciously, her fur bristling as the rats advanced slowly, their teeth gleaming and their tiny black eyes glinting evily. Pressed against her spine was Nutpaw, her apprentice. Jayheart was with her too, and his apprentice, Starlingpaw. Nutpaw was hissing in a mixture of fury and fear. Starlingpaw had one paw raised threateningly, and Jayheart was glaring at the rats with narrowed eyes, as if daring them to come any closer. But Freemeadow could smell their fear. She was scared too, a rat bite could easily become infected, which could be deadly.<em>

_The rats lunged for the cats, flinging themselves onto backs and necks, sinking their long teeth into flesh. Freemeadow yowled as a rat bit down on her tail, another clung on her back, its fangs buried in her skin. She turned to slice at the rat on her tail, the furry creature squealed and fell to the ground, blood gushing from the wound in its belly._

_Twisting to finish the rat on her shoulders, Freemeadow widened her eyes as she made out Nutpaw struggling under three large rats, she was hissing bravely, but was clearly outnumbered. Freemeadow leaped for the rat that had fastened itself onto Nutpaw's throat, blood was oozing out of the wound, and Nutpaw's eyes were glazing over. Freemeadow tore the rat off of Nutpaw, killing it, just as the apprentice collapsed. _

_The rats remaining from the attack on Nutpaw turned and attacked Freemeadow, one leaping onto her back, the other grabbing her throat. Freemeadow could feel warm blood trickling down her fur, and barely noticed Jayheart running towards her as she fell and closed her eyes._

_Freemeadow remembered waking up to see Cloudspirit, the medicine cat, leaning over her. He had told her that the wound was infected, and asked her to eat some herbs. She had drifted off into sleep before she could reply._

* * *

><p>Freemeadow snarled as she snapped herself out of memories, and slid soundlessly into the nursery. She passed the brambles at the entrance, they had once tugged at her fur, but now she slid through effortlessly. Her mind swirled with hatred as she saw the three kits, snug against their mother's belly.<p>

Their mother.

She narrowed her eyes and glared at Nightshade, she would make this cat pay for stealing Jayheart from her.

Flattening her bristling fur as it rose along her spine, Freemeadow smoothed her voice out as she nudged one of the kits. "Get up little one." She mewed quietly.

The gray tabby kit yawned and blinked his blue eyes tiredly, his soft pelt ruffled with sleep. As it opened its eyes fully, he squealed threateningly. "Who are you? Are you a Shadowclan warrior?" He unsheathed puny claws and hissed in a tiny voice. "If you are, I'll shred you!"

"No, no," Freemeadow forced herself to purr in amusement. "I'm a Starclan warrior." She watched the kit's eyes wide in awe. "You need to come with me." She flicked her tail to gesture out of the den, then turned to leave, grinning to herself as the kit followed enthusiastically.

Freemeadow led the kit through the forest, the moon illuminating her see-through body. When she had reached a small clearing, she sat down and curled her tail around her paws, mewing to the kit, "Sit down."

The kit plopped down obediently, her tail flicking with excitement.

"Do you know who I am?" Freemeadow began talking.

The kit shook his head.

"I am the one who should have been your mother."

The kit leaped to four paws indignantly, "No!" he declared, "Nightshade is my mother, _she _was supposed to be!" lifting his round head, he added, "You're _dead_!"

Freemeadow's whiskers twitched in bitter amusement, "Yes, I am dead. I was forgotten by my clan." her eye narrowed angrily as she continued. "Jayheart broke his promise. You are a broken promise. If I had to die, who says you should live?" Freemeadow stared off into the distance, her eyes unfocused and wild. She was hissing quietly. "Broken promises.."

The kit crouched to the ground in fear as Freemeadow stalked up to tower over him, her teeth bared and whiskers drawn back. "You shouldn't have been born." She hissed. "All you did was get in the middle of something ugly." Like lighting, she placed a paw on the kit's back, flipping him over so she could lunge for the soft belly.

Scarlet washed over the bottom of Freemeadow's paw as the blood seeped out of the wound in the kit's belly; she licked the thick, tangy liquid off her pad triumphantly, licking her lips afterward. The kit's eyes, once so bright and playful, dimmed and closed weakly as he kit took one last shuddering breath.

Bushes rustled, causing Freemeadow to stiffen in surprise. Nightshade crashed out of the undergrowth, halting, her eyes widened in horror at the tiny body of her kit lying in the grass. Hatred surged through Freemeadow as she saw the she-cat who had stolen everything from her. Nightshade was screaming her name as Freemeadow darted in the direction of the camp. _You deserve the grief._ She snarled in her mind.

As she ran to the Thunderclan camp, Freemeadow reached a wall of trees, and she thought of a way to take revenge on Nightshade for good. She hauled her way up an oak tree, the branches were thick, and there were plenty of leaves, for leaf-bare. She crouched on a branch that hung over the clearing, waiting for the right time.

_This will hurt Jayheart._ A tiny voice whispered at the back of her mind. _He deserves to be hurt!_ Freemeadow snarled in reply. _I might still love him_, she thought absently, flicking at a leaf with her claws. _But he betrayed me. I need to show him how much he hurt me._

It seemed like moons of lying on the branch, until a sound broke through the still night air. Freemeadow tensed as a shape, illuminated by the moonlight, darted right under the branch she was on.

Freemeadow dropped off the branch, landing on Nightshade's back and reaching a paw down to slit her throat.


	4. Punishment

Chapter 4

**A/N : Hi readers! Sadly, this is last chapter to this short story. Please review.**

Freemeadow felt no satisfaction as the life spilled out of the she-cat's body, only determination. She still had work to do. The tortoiseshell licked her lips in anticipation, _soon, _she thought. _I will have the last laugh._ She slid her long claws out as she leaned over the body momentarily. Then, her ears pricking up, she trotted back to the Thunderclan camp. To the last two kits. She spared only a last glance over her shoulder to see Nightshade's body sprawled on the grass, scarlet blood oozing out the wound on her throat.

Freemeadow pushed through the entrance to the camp, taking no time to enjoy the familiar surroundings as she slunk into the nursery. The sky was streaked with light with the approach of dawn. Fremeadow knew she would have to be quick, strike while the clan was still sleeping.

Freemeadow narrowed her eyes as she padded quietly to the two sleeping kits. For a moment she hesitated as she gazed at the fluffy, little bundles. _Their fur is so soft. _She thought.

Shaking her head, she snapped back at herself, _They're _nothing _but broken promises!"_

One of the kits opened his eyes, his gaze blurry with sleep. "Is that you mother? I hear you, but where are you? Did you find Meadowkit?"

Before she had a chance to turn back, Freemeadow lashed a paw out and pressed it onto the kit's spine. It crunched under her claws and she turned to snap the next kit's back. As her paw pushed down, a bitterly familiar gray tabby slid nto the nursery, his eyes widening in horror as he saw the broken bodies of his kits. His gaze was a swirling vortex of emotions as he collapsed to the ground, a mixture of horror, disbelief, confusion, pain, and grief.

"No" He choked, "I can't lose more loved ones." His voice broke and a small wailing noise came from his throat.

Freemeadow jerked to crouch beside Jayheart, whispering fiercely in his ear, "Do you remember me now, Jayheart? Do you remember your promise now?" She felt warm tears trinkling down her cheeks, and shook them away irritatably. _I won! Stop crying!_ She screamed to herself.

Then, suddenly.

Pain.

Scorching, burning, torcherous pain.

Whispered words scraped her ear fur. "You're one of us now."

A soft, yet burning, light pierced the dim darkness of dawn, a burst of pale white blinding Freemeadow. As it faded, a beautiful tortoiseshell she-cat glided from the sky, stars sparkling in her fur. Freemeadow's fur prickled and her tail twitched uncomfortably as she recongnized the ancient Thunderclan medicene cat, Spottedleaf.

Freemeadow met Spottedleaf's amber gaze, and realized with shock that the once-gentle eyes were cold and harsh, the cat she saw here did not look like the kind medicene cat sh once knew. Her fur was spiked along her back and Freemeadow flattened her ears as Spottedleaf glanced between the two dead kits and the murderer. Spottedleaf sighed and began to speak.

"How could you do this!" Spottedleaf yowled. "You were such a kind cat." She shook her head, her eyes darkening. "You shouldn't have been accepted into the stars, I should have seen the revenge in your heart." She lowered her head, talking half to herself, "I should have heeded the signs."

While Spottedleaf was talking, Black shapes had slunk forward to sink their claws into Freemeadow, dragging her back and chanting into her ears.

Spottedleaf sat up straight, ignoring the shadows of cats that were clawing at Freemeadow's flesh, "Freemeadow, you have broken your promise as a warrior of Starclan, as a warrior at all. You have let revenge build up in your heart, and allowed hate to fuel your actions."

Freemeadow half-collapsed onto the dirt, her paws scrabbling as blood seeped out of her wounds. She laughed manicaly, screaming at Spottedleaf, "I promised!? I did didn't I?" The she-cat coughed up a mouthful of blood as she was dragged slowly into the darkness, "From my experience, a promise is just something to make and shatter! I promised to be a good warrior!" The shadowy figures hooked their claws savagely into anything they could reach, ears, legs, throat, tail, sides. Blood stained the dusty earth as Freemeadow screamed, struggling desperately against the claws. 

"You could have lived in peace, " Spottedleaf continued. "You could have lived side-by-side with loved ones in the stars."

"No!" Freemeadow screeched, "You don't know the grief I'm feelng!"

Spottedleaf's eyes were steely, "Don't I?" She hissed icily, Then simply shrugged it off and mewed flatly.

"You chose to kill, and I hereby banish you from Starclan."

Freemeadow's eyes widened in terror,"No! Where will I go?" Freemeadow's voice rose to a deafening sreech as she was forced into the blackness. She was engulfed imeadiatly.

Black.

That was the only thing left as she fell.

Her paws hit the ground with a jarring thud. The black shadows were gone, but the pain was still agonizing. Around her were dark, looming trunks with branches that blotted out any sky or moon. The smell of rotting plants and fungus hung in the still, windless air. Mist swirled thickly around her paws. It was silent.

She was alone.

The realization hit Freemeadow like a strike of thunder, and a cold stone dropped into her belly. She was alone, here. In the place where no stars shone. The Place of No Stars. Curling up into a tight ball as shrill screams rang through the air, she whispered, "What did I do? What drove me to this? I'm sorry!" Her voice rose to a wail, "I'm sorry!"

**Dun dun dun... Poor little kits. **

**About the Spottedleaf thing, Everybody knows that Spottedleaf suffered something similar o what Freemeadow did. Spottedleaf fell in love with Firestar, but died before they could express their love, Firestar got a mate, Sandstorm, and Spottedleaf had to watch Sandstorm have kits that, I personally think, should have been Spottedleaf's. So Spottedlea was the perfect choice to banish Freemeadow.**

**Thank you for reading. Please review.**

**May good fortune and pizza follow you wherever you go.**

**~LunarFrostChill~**


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